Deals Lancer
by KelticDream13
Summary: Devil offers madrid the chance not to have ever been Madrid


Deals   
The lightning was sharp, it forked across the angry sky. Thunder rumbled  
deep and loud. Clouds rushed around above,bumping into each other,like bad dancers.  
It was nearly nightfall. The storm had come up suddenly.   
Johnny stood frozen for a moment in time. How many times had he  
repeated this action? He could no longer remember. He stood there facing another  
man with a gun, and a reputation. Who wonted to add a Madrid notch to his gun. The  
man stood, tense, he nibbled his lower lip as he waited. He was a tall dark haired man  
in his late twenties. He had ice blue eyes, that seemed to match the mans  
personality. His slicker was held back over his left hip. Leaving his gun free.   
  
The man who wonted to be only a Lancer stood. His fingers of his left hand  
twitched, and rubbed his thumb. The only movement from him. He looked bored to  
those who watched. But inside where he hid his feelings, there was the truth. No  
one knew how he really felt when he faced down a man. Even his so called friends.   
He had knots in his stomach, slight nausea. He wished he could be just Lancer. That  
Madrid hadn't been born.   
  
Outside he was cool, relaxed. Cocky even. He had a temper, it got him into a  
lot of trouble, that without his gun,he might have not survived. He had that walk  
that spoke confidence in himself,his ability. He had once believed that he had to live  
for today only. He'd had nothing to call his own. Now he did.   
  
The man looked at him, hearing the crowds mumbles. His eyes gave him away.   
He drew and so did Johnny. The man was fast. He grabbed his head, as blood oozed  
out between his fingers. His eyes getting glassy, as his sight started to fade,and his  
knees to buckle, he saw Madrid grab his stomach. He would have smiled except he  
was dead  
  
Johnny grabbed his stomach, He had a hole in it, the bullet had gone in and  
gone out his side. He saw the blood on his fingers. It spreading on his shirt. He  
looked at the other man for a moment, in slow motion he moved to Barranca. He  
pulled himself into the saddle. Turning his horse towards home. He didn't hear the  
crowd who were settling the bets made. He rode on as the rain began to fall. Bright  
light and lightning struck the spot where Johnny had stood,moments before.   
He rode on home. The rain running down his head and into his face. He was  
soaked to the skin. Red spotted Barrancas' neck. The horse moved on,his rider not   
fully aware of his surroundings. A man stepped in front of the horse. At the sudden  
stop the rider looked up. There stood a man, tall,pale and strange eyes. He was dry.   
He moved to Johnnys side.   
"Madrid, I heard you wonted to change the past. I can do that.For a price."  
Johnny wiped at the rain in his face. He looked into the eyes, that were brown, no  
blue,no they were green, or was it yellow? They kept changing colors, couldn't be he  
thought.  
"Get outta my way mister. I have to get home." He grimace  
"Listen to me. Your thoughts were, I wish I could be just Lancer,that Madrid  
had never been born. Isn't that right boy?"  
"How do you know, what I was thinking? How come you aint wet?"The man  
looked down at himself. Smiled.  
"Well how about that. I will make a bargain with you. For a price, I'll give you  
what you wont. It will be as though Johnny Lancer was always just that. No  
Madrid,no hired gun. You will have grown up at home, with your brother and father.   
Johnny thought I am more hurt than I thought. I'm seeing things. Well he  
could agree, it was only in his feverish head. "Okay, mister. I would like to be  
Lancer, and never Madrid. To live the life I should have had."   
The man reached up and touched Johnny on the arm. Suddenly the sky was  
spinning, and the ground was moving. He fell from his horse. He lay in the mud. Rain  
pelting him, thunder rumbled in his ears. Lightning flashed before his eyes. But he  
didn't know. He was out cold. Barranca stood by her owner,her reins dragging the ground. She nudged him, he lay motionless. They were alone.   
  
  
Johnny rode out that morning, feeling like he had it all, and he did. A  
home, family, and a girl. What more could a young man wont. He watched out  
for his brother, who was to join him, today they were going to break some  
horses. He sat by a large oak tree, waiting. He sat whiddling a stick. He was  
lost in thought. His knief slipped,slicing his finger. He looked down at the blood  
welling up. He gave his finger a shake. Threw the stick away. Put his knief back  
in its holder. His thoughts turned to the past.  
Six year old Johnny, with his face dirty, and the knee of one leg of his  
pants torn. His yellow shirt, with grass stains. He stood straight. Looked at the  
bull. "Well mister bull. I am going to show you, how a cowboy rides a bull. "   
The bull looked at him. It snorted, and tossed his head. " You don't snort at me,  
mister bull." He put one leg through the fence, and a voice stopped him.  
"Johnny, get away from there." He turned to see his brother. Scott stood  
there. His blond hair combed. His jeans, and blue shirt clean. His face looked  
freshly washed. Johnny smiled.   
"Why? " Scott walked over. He turned to look at the bull. When he did,  
Johnny scooped up a big handful of mud. He grinned.   
"Oh Scott." His brother turned. Johnnys' hand flashed. Scott started  
turning red. Mud covered his face and shirt. He looked down at himself. Then  
turned to his brother. Who looked innocent as anything.   
"Why, I am going to......" Before he could finish, Johnny was off running.   
With his brother right behind him. Scott ran around the barn, and closed the  
distance between them. Johnny was still laughing. He dodged around a  
haybale. To the bunkhouse, and in and out of it. Down to the house. Every now  
and then Johnny would turn and yell at his brother. Scott was getting tired of  
chasing his brother. Johnny fell over a log. He was looking back when it  
happened. Scott reached down and lifted his brother up by the collar. Johnny   
tackled him.  
They fell to the ground, rolling. Scott tried pinning his brother, who  
squirmed out of it. Then he tried to pin Scott. His smaller frame, sitting on his  
brother. Scott reached up and started tickling him. He began to laugh, and fell  
to the side. Scott moved on top of him and pinned him down. Held his arms  
over his head.   
"Okay,little brother, now you can't get away. Give up?"  
"NO! " He squirmed some more. "Hi...Pa." Scott let go and turned. Johnny  
grabbed him, shoved him over. He was up and running. Scott got up,dusting  
himself off.   
"You just wait till I get you. No more nice guy." He took off running.  
Later that afternoon after lunch, and a change of clothes. Johnny was  
at the pen again. He looked at the bull. Now mister bull we are going to have  
our ride. He put his leg through the fence,and started walking towards the bull.   
The bull looked at him, like he was loco. He walked up to the bull. He took the  
rope he had and put it over the bulls head. The bull still hadn't moved. Except  
to stomp the ground. Johnny smiled and jumped up and onto the bulls back.   
The bull looked around at the boy. His eyes wild and start running and bucking.   
Johnny, laughed. A moment later he was flying through the air. He landed  
hard. His face hitting the dirt. He heard the bull and a voice yelling. Hands  
reached and grabbed him. Pulling him up. He was dragged to the fence and  
pushed through. Scott sat down beside his brother. He was breathing hard. He  
turned and looked at his brother. Johnnys'nose was bleeding. He had a busted  
lip. Hands scatched up.   
"Johnny, you dummy. You know Pa said to stay away from that bull. You  
could have gotten killed."   
"I could handle him. I'm a cowboy."He wiped his nose on the back of his  
sleeve. Scott pulled out a handkerchief and wipped at his brothers lip,and nose.  
He looked at the bull and then back at his brother. "You sure you didn't break  
something?"   
"I'm fine, you wont tell Pa will ya?"  
"No, I wont, you know that."  
"Thanks. Lets go see if we can sneak some cookies. Maria was baking  
some earlier. Then I thought we could put some molasses in the bunks in the  
bunkhouse. Stick the coffee pot to the table...."  
"Little brother, you are really a little devil aren't you? If Pa catches you..."  
"How would he know it was me?" Said Johnny with devilment on his face.  
He came back to the present when Scott rode up. Johnny  
grinned at his brother. Scott seemed worried about something. He quickly  
found out what.  
"Johnny old man Whithers has been hiring guns. He is determined to take  
our land. Pa figures he will make a move soon. Maybe we should hire some  
too. Johnny shook his head.   
"I think we should let the law handle it. Whithers knows he cant win in  
court. Beside we have a lot of hands. He probably just wonts us to be scared."  
"Hes doing it. One of line shacks has been burnt, and two men,beaten.   
Some of our cattle stampeded. We have men quitting."  
" We will fight him if we have to. We can hire more men."  
"Who wonts to go up again hired guns?" Johnny frowned.  
"Well I aint giving up. I'll go get Whithers." Scott shook his head.  
"You can't do that. You'd be gunned down. You aren't that good or fast  
with a gun."  
"Well I have to do something. " Scott took a deep breath. Turning,he  
pushed his hat up.  
"That hot head of yours is going to get you into trouble." Johnny turned  
to ride away.   
"Where you going?"  
"To town" He rode off, Scott in persuit.  
Later in town, Johnny and Scott were in the cantina. Both were  
having a beer. When in walked Tom Whithers. Son of old man Whithers. Johnny  
turned and looked the young man in the eye. Tom looked back at him, and  
sneared. He had two men with him.  
"Well if it aint the Lancers. I thought I smelled something when I came in.  
It was two skunks. " Johnny started to take a swing at Tom,Scott grabbed him.   
He shook his head no. both brothers turned back to their beers.  
"Yeah mister Whithers, I'm surprised they are in here. They hide on that  
ranch they stole. Afraid of us. Maybe we should tar and feather them. Like the  
chickens they are. Or maybe its turkeys. Johnny turned, anger evident on his  
face.   
"Thats it! He made a move for his gun. He had it half out of holster when  
the other two men fired. He felt a burning in his shoulder. He heard a moan from  
beside him. He turned, catching Scott as he fell.   
Johnny sat holding his brother in his arms. Scotts'chest was covered in  
blood. Johnny felt his heart torn from his chest. His hand shaking he touched his  
brother. "Scott." His voice cracking. He held him close, looking into his  
face.Scotts bluegrey eyes looked up into his. They were filled with pain. He  
could almost feel the pain of his brother. He reached up and touched his face.   
"Johnny, I hate to leave you little brother." His voice like a soft breeze.   
"No, Scott, you....can't...leave...me. Its all my fault. If I hadn't try to draw  
on them, you...."  
"Its not your fault. They were looking for trouble. You are no match for their  
guns. " Johnny hugged his brother, his tears falling onto his brothers face. He  
rocked him,back and forth.   
Scott was gasping for breath, and pain came in waves. He gripped his  
brothers hand. He tried to smile. Johnny wonted to die with him. Scott reached  
out and touched his face,brushing the tears.   
Johnny looked up at the ceiling. His face showing the agony that  
gripped him. "Oh God, not my brother. Take me. Please." He cried. "If only I  
was able to beat them. If I had their ability with a gun. You wouldn't be lying  
here. I wish I was one of them.........  
Johnny opened his eyes, to a hand on his cheek. The rain had  
stopped and it was night. Scott leaned over him and pulled him,holding him  
against him. Johnny smiled. His brother....he had gotten his wish.  
"What are you smiling at Johnny? You're hurt pretty bad,boy.Got to get  
you home."He pulled his brother up,supporting him. He helped him onto  
Barranca, and mounted behind him. Strong arms held him up. Johnny was  
never so glad to see his brother,as he was right then.   
"Just happy to see you brother. You know something? I don't think being  
Johnny Madrid is so bad after all." He said. Scott looked over his shoulder at  
him, surprised at this revelation.  
"You are?"  
"Yeah, I am glad to be just who I am. "   
"So am I little brother,so am I."  
  
The end 


End file.
